The persistent and frequent flight cancellations in Europe and in the US is heavily caused by labor shortage. It has been noted that the labor shortage is already existing pre-pandemic and was only exacerbated by the COVID.

“Now that you’re coming out of COVID, and the demand is actually showing signs of rapid recovery. You’re starting to see that they have fewer pilots, and the same amount of flying to do,” Alton Aviation Consultancy Managing Director Umang Gupta told the Media Outlet Insider. This was made worse by airlines who allowed pilots to opt-out during the pandemic, added Gupta.

Speaking with the Insider, Gupta said that one additional factor why labor shortage continues to worsen is that because workers now demand higher pays or a reflect in their career.

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